By Thomas C. Hanson
The current round of field pastor conferences came to a close Aug. 27 when the fifth and final session ended.
Dan Rogers, superintendent of ministers, summed up this year's conferences: "The pastors told us they felt encouraged and renewed for pastoral ministry. We believe that what has happened in their lives will translate into renewal in their congregations."
The fifth conference followed the format of the first four. Ministers and wives participated in interactive discussions with Joseph Tkach, Mike Feazell, Dan Rogers, Randal Dick, Bernie Schnippert, Tammy Tkach, Sheila Graham, Ron Kelly, Ralph Orr and David Smith. On Sunday, Aug. 24, the women met with Norva Kelly, Denice Orr and Susie Dick.
The conference ended with ministers praying for headquarters personnel, the recommissioning of the ministers and a communion service.
David Gilbert, pastor of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, church, said: "Because of my personal experience at Ambassador College years ago, coming to headquarters has always been a bit of an emotional trial for me.
"The trials of the last couple of years in the church didn't make it any easier to come this time either. I believe my wife, Hinke, and I both came to the conference with a bad case of `battle fatigue.'
"However, as we began to see the transparent humility and brokenness in the headquarters staff, a sense of healing began to occur.
"As we were walking back to the campus after lunch one day, I said to my wife: `You know, I really need to change my outlook on this place. I now see it as a place that has been conquered by Jesus Christ. He has had a tremendous victory here. And, even though there are fewer people here than before, the ones who are here are conquered by Christ.
"We look at ourselves now as agents of reconciliation on behalf of headquarters. All of us need to know that it's not us vs. them in any sense of the words.
"We're all in this together, and Jesus Christ will complete the victory worldwide as we submit to his lead."
Roger Ludwig, pastor of the Wheatland, Casper and Cheyenne, Wyoming, churches, said: "I left the conference with a renewed focus for pastoring, one of being an equipper of saints. It isn't enough that I be busy ministering to our Lord, but that I bring people into ministry.
"The Christian life is the way of the cross. But the sacrifices we make bring great joy. For it is in losing our life that we truly find it.
"This conference showed me that as a church we are coming close to turning our old hierarchical system of church government upside down. Any status or superiority based on rank or seniority was gone.
The ministry of the Worldwide Church of God has become a brotherhood and sisterhood of mutual respect, love and concern. And this brotherhood includes our leaders at headquarters. They have placed themselves as servants of the ministry, to equip us to be servants of God's people.
"I was refreshed by the openness, humility and availability of headquarters personnel. We were free to ask any questions, during the sessions or privately, to Joe Tkach, Mike Feazell, Dan Rogers, Bernie Schnippert and any others. The answers were clear and compassionate. It was clear that they had considered every option before making any decision. As I told our churches, these are people you can trust.
"There is a new wind of hope in our church, a hope that is based on nothing more or nothing less than personal faith in Jesus Christ. He is all we have to stand on. And all we need. That wind? I think it's the Holy Spirit."
Sept. 16, 1997, WN, page one
| WCG Home | Issues | Contents |
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God,1997